


It's late - and I'm bleeding deep inside

by Kira_K



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Erik has Issues, Erik is a Father, Erik is not a Happy Bunny, Gen, Marvel Universe, Steve Rogers Is a Good Bro, Timeline What Timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-06
Updated: 2015-04-06
Packaged: 2018-03-21 14:02:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3695024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kira_K/pseuds/Kira_K
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"So, Erik, still way too late to do anything helpful, made arrangements and went to New York because the Avengers were involved and nobody reported his children dead."</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's late - and I'm bleeding deep inside

Erik was never quite fast enough.

He was strong. He had ‘groovy’ powers from being a mutant and he had an instinctual understanding of languages. Unfortunately, he couldn’t lift a coin before the count three; he couldn’t kill a man before he was plunged into the ocean; he couldn’t get over his fears before it was too late. He was always too late, regrets piling up and up on his soul. 

Learning about his children after they grew up and were forced to meet his ugliest side was just another in the long way of self-disappointment. Learning that they disappeared, that they were captured and then rescued by Captain America from the news? That hurt something in his remaining soul. Adding insult to injury was the fact that his children’s kidnappers were the HYDRA. But he was old, so old now that people forgot all about him in his semi-retirement reclusiveness; that people forgot Magneto the terrorist. (Charles liked to call it his ‘anger issue’ but Charles did not know everything.) 

So, Erik, still way too late to do anything helpful, made arrangements and went to New York because the Avengers were involved and nobody reported his children dead. Finding the tower was not hard (the large, blinking neon on the top had helped.) Getting inside was harder but electronics were something he could work with. Up, up he went and prayed like he didn’t for the last forty years for a God who never forgave that his gambit would pay off and Pietro and Wanda were safe, among friends, and not in custody. Up, up he went and knocked on the door before opening it because he came in peace and didn’t want to meet a stray blast of energy or the Hulk’s fist. 

Tipping his hat Erik waited for a moment. To test the waters he stepped forward and watched the mightiest heroes of the earth. Tony Stark watched him from the other side of the room, dressed in everyday clothes and clouded with distrust. Captain America had his iconic shield in front of him and was sitting on the couch. Next to him was Wanda, hale and perfect—and Erik forgot all about the rest of the Avengers. 

“Are you alright?” His first instinct was still German but Erik forced himself to use English; his children’s mother tongue was not the same as his but they all spoke America’s. “Is Pietro alright?”

Wanda nodded, distracted and careless, and too still. Captain America frowned and made short hand gesture that Erik didn’t bother figuring out. If he was attacked he would protect himself. If he wasn’t he didn’t care. Movement and wind caught his attention then Erik was face to face with Pietro: older than before, probably thinner too, but tall and proud. His hair was still the oddest mixture of white and silver; his eyes were hard and full of distrust. “Whatcha doin’ here?”

“Checking if you’re still alive.”

“Now? Don’t ya think it’s too little, too late?” 

“Yes. Yet, I had to know…” Erik didn’t have the opportunity to finish his thought. Pietro parked his ass next to Wanda on the couch, ejecting Captain America within the same second and starting to speak in rapid Romani to his twin. 

“Lehnsherr,” Stark said in a quite similar tone to what Wolverine had used on occasions. “As nice as this was, I must ask you to leave.”

“In a minute,” Erik replied, distracted as he was by his twins. “First, I need an answer from them.” 

“Mr. Lehnsherr,” and this was the good Captain who was probably more dangerous than anybody in the building, including Erik, “what is your relationship with our guests?” 

“I’m their father,” Erik replied in a distracted manner because Pietro just huffed and left the room and Wanda was walking towards him with purposeful steps. 

Wanda stopped in front of Erik and kissed his left cheek once before pulling back to lock her gaze with Erik’s. “We are well enough. Now, could you please leave?” 

“I am sorry,” Erik said and brushed his fingers against Wanda’s gloved hand. “I didn’t know.”

“What would have been different if you knew?”

“I’d have came,” Erik whispered, a promise and a declaration at once. Wanda nodded and kissed his other cheek before turning around to follow Pietro out of the room. The kiss burnt like a bullet graze and Erik was dizzy enough to grab at the nearest solid thing – Captain America’s shoulder – to steady himself. “I didn’t know…” 

“Are you alright, Mr. Lehnsherr?” 

Erik was almost overwhelmed by the compassion in the question. He nodded and forced himself to stand by his own strength. “Of course, I am always all right.” And he straightened his spine and lifted his head and left the Avengers’ Tower the same way he came in. 

*

And that was the beginning of Erik Lehnsherr’s bi-monthly visits of the Avengers. 

 

~end~

**Author's Note:**

> Let's forget about how the movies' timeline would make Magneto's children somewhere in their late-40s / 50s when the Avengers' are assembled. 
> 
> Title is from Queen's It's Late. 
> 
> Comments, kudos make my day. <3


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